Efficacy of Photodynamic Therapy and Lasers as an Adjunct to Scaling and Root Planing in the Treatment of Aggressive Periodontitis - A Clinical and Microbiologic Short Term Study.

INTRODUCTION: Aggressive periodontitis comprises a group of rare, severe, rapidly progressive form of periodontitis. Conventional treatment includes mechanical debridement augmented with adjunctive antimicrobial therapy. Development of antibiotic resistance has led to use of lasers. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a novel non-invasive therapeutic approach with increased site and pathogen specificity. This study compares PDT and Lasers as an adjunct to conventional Scaling in the treatment of patients with aggressive periodontitis.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifteen untreated aggressive periodo-ntitis patients were randomly assigned in a split mouth design for one of the following treatment modalities: 1) SRP alone; (2) SRP + Diode Laser irradiation with 810 nm at 1W, continuous mode for 30 sec per tooth; (3) SRP + PDT on "0" day; (4) SRP + PDT on "0", 7(th) and 21(st) day. The clinical parameters included PI, BOP, PPD, CAL recorded at the baseline & 3(rd) month. The site with greatest probing pocket depth (PPD) was selected from each quadrant for bacterial sampling and cultured for Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans and Porphyromonas gingivalis & Prevotella intermedia.
RESULTS: Statistically significant reduction in clinical & microbial parameters was seen. Sites 4 showed a greater reduction compared to other groups.
CONCLUSION: Photodynamic therapy is a valuable treatment modality adjunctive to conventional scaling and root planing.

RCT Entities:   Population Interventions Outcomes